Home is Still a Good Investment:

According to the National Association of Realtors' 2010 survey of home buyers and sellers, the typical seller who purchased a home 8 years ago experienced a median equity gain of $33,000 - a 24 percent increase - while sellers who were in their homes for 11-15 years saw a median gain of 40 percent. "85 percent of recent home buyers see their home as a good investment, and nearly half think that investment is better than stocks," says Paul Bishop, NAR VP of research. This indicates the long-term view of home ownership as a fundamental goal and value remains sound.